Solids metering device

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a dispenser for instant coffee and other granular materials, suitable for attachment to jars of such materials as a replacement for conventional jar caps, said dispenser having means for receiving a predetermined quantity of material from the interior of the container for dispensing the predetermined amount.

United States Patent Colvin Aug. 28, 1973 SOLIDS METERING DEVICE1.931.908 10/1933 Tillotson 222/355 x 3,l29,853 4 1964 Hosk' 222 362 X[761 invent: mcha'd 140 57th 3,347,425 10/1967 Beush aflsen et al.221/264 x New York, 1019 2,837,252 6/1958 Hoynak, Jr. 222/494 x [22]Filed: Mar. 6, 1972 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman [21] Appl' 232092Assistant Examiner-Norman L. Stack, Att0rneyDean S. Edmonds, Frank F.Scheck and [52] U.S. Cl. 222/362 Harry C.-Jones III et al. [5l] Int. Cl.Golf 11/24 e r 581 Field of Search 222/494, 370, 367, ABSTRACT 222/362,363, 366, 444, 359, 355; 221/269, There is disclosed a dispenser forinstant coffee and 250; 251/303 other granular materials, suitable forattachment to jars of such materials as a replacement for conventionaljar References Clted caps, said dispenser having means for receiving apre- UNITED STATES PATENTS determined quantity of material from theinterior of the 3,249,266 5/1966 Cole et al. 222/370 x Container fordispensing the predetermined amount- 895,5l6 8/1908 Tucker 222/354 4Claims, 6 Drawing Figures soups METERING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention is directed to dispensing granular orpowdered material in metered quantities and is particularly useful fordispensing accurately a material such as instant coffee. Such coffees,whether they be in the conventional or freeze-dried forms, present thedifficulty that since they are highly concentrated, small changes in theamount used to brew a cup of coffee can considerably affect the flavor.Manufacturers of instant coffee would prefer that the user measurespecific amounts consistently in order to achieve a particular anddesirable strength. However, users seldom are as careful as themanufacturer would like, and consequently, coffee is brewed which variesconsiderably from cup to cup and which frequently has the effect ofcausing a user to be dissatisfied with the brand which he has chosen.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a dispenser or adispensing device particularly useful for accurately measuring andreleasing discrete quantities of instant coffee or other particulatesolids material from a jar to which the dispenser is attached.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, asolids metering device for receiving and discharging discrete solidsmaterial such as instant coffee and the like as a replacement for theclosure cap of a jar or similar container filled with said solids isprovided, the device comprising a hollow, cylindrical body having oneend threaded for connection to the mouth of a standardsized jar orcontainer, spaced, transverse partitions connected thereto which mounttherebetween a dispensing lever for rotary movement generally about theaxis of said body, the partition nearest to said threaded end definingan opening in communication with the interior of said jar, a cover bladerigidly connected to said dispensing lever for sealing against saidopening in one position of said lever, a compartmenting wall connectedto said cover blade perpendicularly at one edge thereof, said wall beingrigidly attached to said dispensing lever, and being together with saidcover blade in sealing relation to said partitions, a flat dischargereleasing finger resiliently mounted to said dispensing lever formovement with respect to said lever and the compartmenting wall, saidfinger being adapted to seal against edge portions of a dischargeopening between said partitions, said cylindrical body including meansfor stopping the resilient discharge finger and including means forlimiting rotary movement of said lever between positions wherein saidblade cover seals said opening communicating with the interior of saidjar and uncovering positions of said opening, whereby said lever may berotated to uncover said opening so that solids material can fill acompartment defined between said transverse partitions, thecompartmenting wall and said finger, return resilient movement of saidfinger when said dispensing lever is released causing automaticdischarge of said compartment through the discharge opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevation inperspective of a dispensing device in accordance with the presentinvention connected to a jar containing granular or powdered material;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section taken in the direction of arrows3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken in the direction of arrows 44 of FIG.3; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the portionsof the dispensing device respectively in the fully loaded and dischargedpositions.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, a solidsmetering device in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention in the form of a coffee dispenser 10 has been illustrated. Thedispenser 10 consists of a cylindrical body 11 having internal threads12 of a diameter which permits attachment to the threaded end 13 of aconventional jar 14 containing a quantity of granular or powderedinstant coffee 16. It will be understood that jars 14 are commonlymanufactured to have interchangeable caps and that, therefore, thedispenser 10 will fit jars of a variety of different brands. It will befurther understood that the dispenser 10 may be manufactured of asuitable plastic material such as molded polypropylene.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the dispenser 10 includes a transversepartition 17 having an opening 18 therein which communicates with theinterior of the jar 14. A generally cylindrical outer housing 19 extendsfrom the partition 17 essentially coincident with cylindrical body 1 las a continuation thereof. A second transverse partition 20 is connectedto the cylindrical .housing 19. Between the partition 17 and 20 extendsa pin 21 mounted for rotation therein. Connected to the pin 20 androtatable therewith is a dispensing lever 22 having an outer portion 23for manual engagement by the user extending radially beyond theperiphery of housing 19. lntegrally and rigidly connected to thedispensing lever 22 is a cover blade 24 which in the position of FIG. 3seals the opening 18 in partition 17. A compartmenting wall 26perpendicular to the cover blade 24 is integrally attached to the coverblade along one edge thereof. The compartmenting wall 26 extends in anaxial direction between transverse partitions l7 and 20 and forms a sealtherewith. A fiat discharge release finger 27 is also connected to thelever 22 by means of a resilient connection 27a. Both wall 26 and finger27 extend generally in a radial direction from the center of thedispenser 10. The outer end 27b of finger 27 can make contact withhousing 19 and in this position will seal a discharge opening betweenpartitions l7 and 20 and housing 19. If the lever 22 is moved in thedirection of the arrow as indicated in FIG. 3, the finger 27 will bestopped from further movement toward the left beyond its point ofcontact with the housing at 19c and will seal the discharge opening. Itwill be further seen that housing 19 is provided with a cutout area 28bounded by an end 19a of the housing 19 and by a partition 19b at theother which effectively determines the rotary limits of travel of thelever 22 with respect to the housing 19.

The operation of the dispenser will now be described. When the coverblade 24 is in the position of FIG. 3 and 4, it effectively blocksgranular flow from the interior of jar 14 by completely underlying theopening 18 in partition 17. When, however, the lever 22 is rotated fromits position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 5, the cover blade 24gradually uncovers opening 18 to permit flow of the granular materialinto a gradually increasing pie-shaped chamber 29 which is defined bythe housing 19, partitions 17 and and the variable distance between wall26 and discharge finger 27. In this respect, it will be observed thatthe finger 27 effects the aforementioned relationship between it andpartition 26 because of the stopping effect of housing 19 and theresilient connection 27a.

When the lever 22 is in the position of FIG. 5, it is prevented fromfurther movement by contact with the wall 191) of the housing and thechamber 29 will be filled completely with a predetermined quantity ofgranular or powdered material. Upon release of the lever 22 as shown inFIG. 6, the spring energy built up in finger 27 will causecounter-rotation of the lever 22 and of wall 26 to discharge materialinto the cutout or space between ends 190 and 19b of housing 19. Thus, ametered quantity of material, which in the illustrated embodiment isinstant coffee, can be readily dispensed into a cup. The amount held inchamber 29 will be that recommended by the manufacturer, for say a cupof light strength. Two dispensed quantities will make a cup of averagestrength etc. In this way, coffee of uniform and different strengths canbe easily brewed on successive occasions.

Of course, lever 22 need not be rotated its total travel between 19a and19b. If an individual user so desires, lever 22 can be actuated for afraction, e.g., one-half of its total travel, thus causing lesseramounts to be dispensed from chamber 29.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is related to aparticular embodiment of the invention and is, therefore,representative. In order to appreciate fully the scope of the invention,reference should be made to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A solids metering device for measuring and dispensing particulatematerial such as instant coffee and the like including a hollow outerhousing, transverse partitions connected to said housing, an openingdefined by one of said partitions and means for connecting said housingadjacent to said one partition to a container in which there is aquantity of particulate mate: rial, a dispensing lever rotatably mountedbetween said partitions, valve means for sealing the opening in saidpartition rigidly connected to said lever, a first compartmenting wallrigidly connected to said lever, in sealing relation to each of saidpartitions, a discharge opening in said housing between said partitions,and a finger spring-mounted to said lever for sealably engaging the edgeof said discharge opening.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing is cylindrical, saidcompartmenting wall and said finger extend generally toward the centerof said housing, and said housing defines means for limiting movement ofsaid compartmenting wall with respect to said finger.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lever is integrally connected tosaid valve means which comprises a cover blade underlying said partitionopening, said compartmenting wall is integrally connected to said lever,said cover blade extends perpendicularly to said wall and is integraltherewith, and said finger is connected integrally to said lever.

4. A solids metering device for receiving and discharging discretesolids material such as instant coffee and the like as a replacement forthe closure cap of a jar or similar container filled with said solidscomprising, a hollow, cylindrical body having one end threaded forconnection to the mouth of a standard-sized jar .or container, spaced,transverse partitions connected to said body, a dispensing lever mountedfor rotary movement generally about the axis of said body between saidpartitions, the partition nearest to said threaded end defining anopening communicating with the interior of said jar, a cover bladerigidly connected to said dispensing lever for slidably sealing againstsaid opening in one position of said lever, a compartmenting wallsecured to said cover blade perpendicularly at one edge thereof, saidwall being rigidly attached to said dispensing lever in sealing relationto said partitions, a flat discharge finger resiliently mounted to saiddispensing lever for movement with respect to said lever and thecompartmenting wall, said finger being adapted to seal a dischargeopening defined between said partitions and said body, said cylindricalbody including means for stopping the resilient finger and includingmeans for limiting rotary movement of said lever between positionswherein said blade cover seals the opening in said nearest partition anduncovering positions of said opening, whereby said lever may be rotatedto uncover said opening so that solids material can fill a compartmentdefined between said transverse partitions, the compartmenting wall andsaid finger, return resilient movement of said finger when saiddispensing lever is released causing automatic discharge of saidcompartment.

1. A solids metering device for measuring and dispensing particulatematerial such as instant coffee and the like including a hollow outerhousing, transverse partitions connected to said housing, an openingdefined by one of said partitions and means for connecting said housingadjacent to said one partition to a container in which there is aquantity of particulate material, a dispensing lever rotatably mountedbetween said partitions, valve means for sealing the opening in saidpartition rigidly connected to said lever, a first compartmenting wallrigidly connected to said lever, in sealing relation to each of saidpartitions, a discharge opening in said housing between said partitions,and a finger spring-mounted to said lever for sealably engaging the edgeof said discharge opening.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housingis cylindrical, said compartmenting wall and said finger extendgenerally toward the center of said housing, and said housing definesmeans for limiting movement of said compartmenting wall with respect tosaid finger.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lever is integrallyconnected to said valve means which comprises a cover blade underlyingsaid partition opening, said compartmenting wall is integrally connectedto said lever, said cover blade extends perpendicularly to said wall andis integral therewith, and said finger is connected integrally to saidlever.
 4. A solids metering device for receiving and dischargingdiscrete solids material such as instant coffee and the like as areplacement for the closure cap of a jar or similar container filledwith said solids comprising, a hollow, cylindrical body having one endthreaded for connection to the mouth of a standard-sized jar orcontainer, spaced, transverse partitions connected to said body, adispensing lever mounted for rotary movement generally about the axis ofsaid body between said partitions, the partition nearest to saidthreaded end defining an opening communicating with the interior of saidjar, a cover blade rigidly connected to said dispensing lever forslidably sealing against said opening in one position of said lever, acompartmenting wall secured to said cover blade perpendicularly at oneedge thereof, said wall being rigidly attached to said dispensing leverin sealing relation to said partitions, a flat discharge fingerresiliently mounted to said dispensing lever for movement with respeCtto said lever and the compartmenting wall, said finger being adapted toseal a discharge opening defined between said partitions and said body,said cylindrical body including means for stopping the resilient fingerand including means for limiting rotary movement of said lever betweenpositions wherein said blade cover seals the opening in said nearestpartition and uncovering positions of said opening, whereby said levermay be rotated to uncover said opening so that solids material can filla compartment defined between said transverse partitions, thecompartmenting wall and said finger, return resilient movement of saidfinger when said dispensing lever is released causing automaticdischarge of said compartment.